Calling all Brea school kids in grades, 3rd-6th, we want to hear from you in writing an essay giving your perspective of Brea’s future for “Kids Imagine Brea Essay Contest.”

•The prize 🔊Four children will be selected with their winning essays and photos to be featured in Brea’s 1st children’s book 📚showcasing Brea’s historic iconic Charlie the Clock and school friends in time travel -- celebrating 100 years in Brea!

The clock is ticking ⏰ so please don’t delay and submit your essay to the official contest entry website at News@BreaOldandNew.com. Click twice on the flyer to read the details!

All essays will be forwarded to the Brea Education Foundation members who will be judging the contest.

We look forward to receiving your essays and wish you the best of luck!

Note: A panoramic photo of all children in the grade levels of 3rd-6th will be scheduled soon. The objective is to feature as many kids as possible in this once-in-a-lifetime book.

Did you enjoy the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games? We did! Actually, for most people it was a welcome retreat from what's going on in the world! Just as amazing it was to see every athlete in action; it was interesting to learn about their background. Everybody has a story to tell.

USA Results:

U.S. scores the top medal count at 46 Gold, 37 Silver, and 38 Bronze, for a total of 121 medals.

Team USA’s 121 medals are the most ever for a U.S. team in a non-boycotted Games, topping the previous high of 110 from Beijing in 2008.

With 2-3 hours of sleep throughout the games and up to two-hour bus rides between events, Gaede shot thousands of photos. Below are 45 stunning images from his collection:

A fter 16 years of service, Dan Moon, police officer, will retire as the BOHS campus officer at the end of this year.

“I’m going to miss the day-to-day fun of getting to work with [the students] and getting to participate in school activities. It has been a tremendous blessing for me to be in this position and to be able to do it for 16 years and to know all the people that I’ve gotten to know and to see all the kids that I’ve been able to see progressing through the years,” Moon said.

Moon graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1983 where he earned his teaching credential. He then became a student teacher at BOHS, and eventually an academic teacher and coach for swimming and water polo. However, when the campus relocated from the Brea Marketplace, many teachers were forced to find another job, and Moon was assigned to BOHS by the Brea Police Department to curtail and stop drug use.

“When you think of what the term a ‘school resource officer’ is, Moon really fits the bill. He worked with us in a direction that ensured we did not do anything to violate anybody's rights. Moon was always there as a safeguard, and he was always an extra set of eyes by keeping us updated with the pulse of the community,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

In the future, with his Master’s Degree in Christian Theology and Doctrine from Talbot Seminary in Biola University, Moon plans to apply to Orange Luther to lead theology classes. As for his family, Moon is excited to visit his four children who are scattered across the world as well as possibly move to Colorado.

With its mix of innovative offerings and its mid-century design, the anticipation of Brea’s new east-end destination center Whole Foods Market was very apparent today at the Grand Opening on Feb. 17. The participants who attended the groundbreaking ceremony felt “amazing” to see the retail site completed.

Before the Grand Opening, the friends and family pre-event was held on Feb. 15. According to attendee Junghee Sim, resident of Brea, the event was “fascinating.”

“Before going to an event, I felt reluctant to purchase some food because I did not know how the tastes would be like. However, during an event, I could try and decided to purchase them,” Sim said.
Store highlights included prepared foods, coffee, juice and smoothie bar, produce, in-store bakery, seafood, meat, whole body, specialty, and grocery.

“As a housewife, I can distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food. Whole Foods Market’s food was really healthy. My favorite food was a traditional pokey. I am willing to go there,” Sim stated.

“We heard from locals that they wanted a bar with wine and local craft beer, grab-and-go food options, kid-friendly spaces and interesting culinary experiences,” said Patrick Bradley, president of Whole Foods Market’s Southern Pacific Region. “From the self-serve pizza station, to the bar-restaurant with local brews, to the upstairs mezzanine area for tastings and Kids’ Club events, we’re thrilled to bring North Orange County a unique shopping experience that was designed to address the community’s needs and wishes.”

As an opportunity of interacting with children on the topic of saving an environment, Disney Friends for Change (DFFC) club members at Brea Olinda High School organized the three classes on Jan. 7, 14, and 21 at Brea library. According to Sierra Thomas, vice president of DFFC, the class held on Jan. 7’s theme was a water cycle.

During the preparation of the classes, club members came up with an idea of singing a water cycle song altogether with dance movement. In addition, club members practiced to explain the concept of water cycle in simpler words. Lastly, they planned for coloring session so that children could participate in the class more actively.

On Jan. 7, members set up the three outlined posters on the tables, each representing precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. Sophia Phiagoxiola, 4 year old participant, remarked that the class was very “fun.”

Mikayla Brent, 4th grader at country hills, stated, “I liked coloring with my new friends and the class today was like the show on the television. I’d like to participate in the 2nd class if I can.”

The DFFC members and participants are doing coloring.

In addition, Brent recited perfectly what she learned throughout the class with club members and “was glad to learn the hard concepts in an easy way [by participating in fun activities].

The class students organized themselves not only helped participants, but also club members. According to Thomas, club members prepared for the class by late night at café. Their efforts also gave club members opportunity to learn.

Thomas stated, “The class activity allowed us to expand their knowledge as well as our knowledge.”
One of the club members, Carmilla Thomas, freshman at BOHS, shared that “It was a new experience as a freshman to organize the actual class and interact with children.”

The DFFC is preparing for other two upcoming classes. The 2nd class will be mostly about the concept of 3R, reduce, reuse, and recycle and the 3rd class will heavily deal with the trophic levels. If you are interested in joining the class, you can sign up at Brea library.

A new California bill allows hoverboards in public, but with certain safety and traffic requirements. (photo source: yahoo.com)

It was the must-have holiday item of 2015, yet it was banned almost everywhere from Great Britain and New York to individual stores and malls. It was on the top of every kid’s (or adult’s) wishlist, yet large companies like Amazon and Target stopped selling them. It was the hottest, new tech fad costing up to $1,000, yet there were dozens of reports of it catching on fire. And now, as of Jan. 1, it’s legal to ride them in the state of California.

Known as hoverboards, these self-balancing electric boards are the latest gadget craze coveted by children and adults alike. And according to a new California bill effective Jan. 1, all motorized wheeled devices, including hoverboards, can be used anywhere bicycles are allowed to go to accommodate commuters in bicycle and car traffic. The new law requires some regulations, however, such as an age requirement of 16 years old and the wearing of a helmet and any other safety gear while riding.

Although the law legalized hoverboard use in public, it allows local governments to regulate the motorizing board, giving communities the right to ban them or penalize them as they choose. In the city of Brea, there are no specific regulations regarding hoverboards as of yet, but they will be treated the same way as skateboards until further city rules are made, according to Brea Traffic Sergeant Tim Mercado.

Although there are no safety requirements imposed by Brea law enforcement, Mercado strongly recommends that younger hoverboard riders wear a helmet and elbow/knee pads, while avoiding conflict with vehicular traffic.

“As with any new toy or vehicle that children operate, I believe good old common sense should be the dominating theme when these devices are operated anywhere in regard to safety equipment. There will likely be push-back from whatever safety equipment we as parents will suggest to our children, but safety should always be the first consideration,” Mercado said.

The new bill overturns the previous law in 1977 which prohibited motorized skateboards, mostly because of their gas emissions, a feature that does not apply to most modern electric boards today.

But with the new law, hoverboard owners are free to skate in public as long as they meet the safety and traffic requirements.

As an opportunity for Brea elementary school students to showcase and show off their instrumental skills, All-District Elementary Band Winter Concert was held on Dec. 9 at Brea Olinda High School Gym. The concert featured beginning, advanced bands, and student soloists from Arovista, Country Hills, Fanning, Laurel, Mariposa, and Olinda elementary schools in BOUSD.

The programs included the combination of performances of student soloists, beginning, and advanced bands. The concert started off with Enzo La’s flute performance of ‘The Star Spangled banner.’ It continued with Laurel, Mariposa, and Olinda elementary schools’ advanced bands. Right after, beginning bands performed with courage despite their lack of skill. Even though beginning bands had frequent mistakes throughout the performance, audiences cheered them with heart.

Donghoon Kim, 5th grader at Brea Country Hills elementary school, shared, “This concert scared me a lot; however, it also helped me with courage to blow saxophone in front of crowds. Since I am a beginner, I didn’t expect that I would be able to perform at concert. However, I felt proud of myself and learned more things through this concert.”

After beginning bands’ courageous performances, Arovista, Country Hills, and Fanning Advanced Bands started with the performance of ‘Procession of the Kings’ by full bands. Among all the outstanding performances, Glenda Bartell, director, specifically mentioned about Emma McCanne’s ‘Dance of the Mirlitons(from the Nutcracker Suite).

“Emma McCanne is really impressive because she practiced a lot by herself to play advanced-level of song with flute,” Bartell stated.

After McCanne’s impressive performance, concert was finalized with ‘Hanukkah Celebration.’
“I want to improve more so that I can be a soloist for the next year’s concert,” Kim said.

Nancy Lee, president of BKSCA, is getting signatures for the petition [Image Credit: Korea Daily]

BKSCA, Brea Korean Sister City Association, started the campaign to establish Korean class at Brea Olinda High School. On Dec. 1, BKSCA members introduced their campaign and received signatures needed for the petition at seminar held at Brea Community room.

Nancy Lee, president of BKSCA, will formally petition of the establishment of Korean class at BOHS by March the latest.

“There are an increasing number of Brea citizens of Korean heritage. Also, Brea City Hall wants to have an opportunity to communicate with people of Korean heritage in Brea through BKSCA,” Lee said.

Carrie Flanders, Board of Education in BOUSD, stated during seminar, “There is no reason to reject the establishment of Korean class if financial problems are solved. It will contribute to the diversity of our community.”

Regarding the diversity, participants of seminar shared their hope to establish Korean class, as Japanese class is already established despite less number of students of Japanese heritage.

Aside from the petition, during the seminar, Kelly Kennedy, principal of Brea Junior High School, explained about educational environment and curriculum of Brea. In addition, JNJ admission shared their information on admission to college especially for high school students.
You can contact 714-222-9955 for more information.

photo source: bruinmun.orgBOHS MUN members will compete at the UCLA MUN conference.

Brea Olinda High School’s Model United Nations club will attend the 23rd Bruin Model United Nations conference at UCLA today and tomorrow, competing against other high school students from all around the world. BOHS will be sending delegates Charlotte Kim, Stacy Uhm, Jane Lee, and Ashley Kim to represent the country of Vietnam along with club advisors Eugene Lee and Amanda Hefner.

Junior Jane Lee and sophomore Ashley Kim, both club co-presidents, will compete as one of the four Crisis committees, a level typically designed for seasoned delegates who apply their knowledge of history and critical thinking skills.

“I’m excited to attend the conference, but I’m also nervous because I have no idea what to expect at such a big conference,” Lee said.

Juniors Charlotte Kim and Stacy Uhm, the latter joining the team this year, will compete at the beginner level committee, which are smaller in size and designed for novice delegates.

“I’m really excited to go to the conference this year. I think it’s a great opportunity, especially since it’s at UCLA, and I’m so grateful to get the chance to be a part of it,” Uhm said.
The students have been preparing for the conference by working on their position paper and researching about Vietnam. They have also rehearsed their opening speech for the conference, a speech that they must present under one minute.

This is the first time that the BOHS Model United Nations club has attended the UCLA conference, last competing in two small conferences in 2013. In 2013, the club won several awards in the past, such as Best Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, and Commendations. Last year, however, the club did not compete in a conference, mostly due to lack of interest.

This year the club hopes to win awards again and relies on the team’s hard work and dedication to get them through the conference.

“My goal is for all of us to win awards at the end of the year, and I’m confident that we will,” Lee said.